The CAT room!

what has he done now?

Yes, yes! We want to know, Roberta!

I had to curtail one of Flatty's bird hunting escapades this afternoon. Rushed outside in response to an incredible cacophony - outraged birds trying to intimidate & distract him. When I got closer to the action I discovered a small bird hiding under an agapanthus plant while you know who was attempting to extract it, much to the distress of the adult birds! I think the small bird had fallen from a nest or was cornered by Flatty during an unsuccessful attempt at flight. So I pushed it further away from him, into a corner behind one of garbage bins where he couldn't reach it. Meanwhile all hell was breaking loose with the older birds. Terrible, terrible! Like a scene from Hitchcock! After another couple of attempts to extract the young bird (with me trying to shoo him away) he finally lost interest. Phew! That was horrible! I hope that little bird survived the ordeal.

Msolga: I'm sure the bird community appreciates your efforts to save their little one from the jaws of death!

And I hope they appreciate the heavy toll on my poor self, Debra! That was stressful!

I am sooo glad Nisse and Mysan are strictly indoor cats!

msolga superhero! I dread this Spring's baby birds with 2 little monsters - they are both keen ornithologists.

Does Flatty manage to catch one very often? Rosie hasn't so far. She knows what 'leave the birds alone' means though!

But then you have to rescue the mice, urs!

I know, I know, Vivien! Just imagine life my previous abode ... THREE cats & lots of trees. All full of birds!!!! Some truly heart stopping moments were had by my good self!
Luckily Flatty is rather an inept bird hunter (though a devil when it comes to mice!) so I don't often have to survey the carnage. A blessing!

You guys keep cats and deny them their natural predatory nature. Silly.

Cats aren't social animals, they are solitary hunters (with the exception of lions). They really don't like you, no matter what you think.

I'm with Urs53, I'm happy for the animal community that my cats are indoor cats.

They have discovered as they lurk on the porch there's a bunny and baby bunny around who enjoy coming to our porch because Rae puts food out there for them. So our cats are drooling behind the screens watching the bunnies and wishing they could get at them.

So we have some very thankful bunnies out back at the moment!

they can take our their hunting instincts in play with each other and us
- no killing allowed, it isn't necessary, they are well fed,

You may not realise that a cat who cuddles up to me when I'm upset and tries to comfort me loves me - I know!

Actually female cats (British wild cats and domestic feral cats) are naturally very sociable animals and in the wild, look after each other's kittens while mum goes hunting and live in family groups - the males have a territory which they roam but stay within.

Pet cats see you as their extended family in a similar way to dogs but with a different attitude - much more independent. You can't bribe them like you can a dog.


aaah Misti! how lovely.

how are Paddy and Lacey? any recent photos?

I have 2 Indoor cats and several Outdoor cats (which never meet).
My outdoor cats are as sociable as any (human)family unit... there may be a little jockeying here and there for TopCat status, but, on the whole, they all get along very well. Kittens are treated well by extended family, the aunts and uncles do their share of nurturing and babysitting.
And they are all Mighty Hunters... the outsiders regularly bring "offerings" to the kitchen door; and any mouse who cunningly escapes the outsiders, and manages to gain egress to my house, has a short tenancy.

Wife's friend had a cat - lousy hunter. One day she came home with a "prize", a flattened bluejay that she'd obviously scraped off the asphault. She was so proud of it.

Olga, Cats are hunters. No question about it. We humans impose our species preferences. Kill a mouse. Great. Kill a bird. Not great. The cat's just being a cat. But I'm glad you spared the little bird from Flattie's aggressions. Who will spare me from Mikey's?

(We're speaking again.)

2 indoor cats. Nurture over nature ?

Paddy and Lacey are doing well and enjoying the bunnies who come to visit.

You asked for pictures, these were taken today:

Adorable. Of course, I already knew that.

Lovely shots, Misti!

* Could I ask Roberta & others to revert to calling me "msolga", please? (Even though I much prefer to be called by my proper name) I LOATH being used to advertise bras & panties! *

Hey Roger, it's soooooooooooo good to see you! How have you been? How are your kitties? Barney behaving?